Times of Change
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all of its characters don't belong to me. Neither does Kurama (he's from the cast of Yu Yu Hakusho). This isn't a crossover as he's the only character from that series in this. Why? You'll find out later. *grins* I do claim all original characters though, even the bad ones. Well that about wraps it up, let me know what you think at the end!
Author's Note - Umm… usually to show that they're using mind speech I bold and italize the words but since I couldn't get it to do that on this chapter. blah will stand for that.
Okay, I forgot to add a few things.
Learian Words and their translated/loosely translated meanings:
Kreelie- idiot
Tione- sister
Tionto- brother
Eliree- lover
Chapter 9: Poison Arrows"Go Inuyasha! Watch out Kagome!"
"Miroku! The ball! Hit the ball!" Shad yelled and clamped his hand over Destiny's mouth to keep her from encouraging Inuyasha and Kagome.
They had rigged up a volleyball game and were watching the two teams battle it out. Kurama was playing the part of referee and scorekeeper while Destiny, Shippo and Shad got to be the cheerleaders, in a sense anyway. Destiny and Shippo were rooting for Kagome and Inuyasha while Shad cheered for Miroku and Sango.
Miroku missed and Destiny elbowed her brother in the ribs and let out a whistle for her team before Shad shut her up again and yelled a few threats at Miroku.
"Look like those two are having gun." Kagome said and his her smile behind her hand.
"Well duh. We're winning." Inuyasha stated smugly.
"Not for long though!" Sango yelled and the game resumed.
Later it ended in a tie when Sango slammed the ball back over to Inuyasha and Kagome's side of the net and Kurama blew on his whistle to signal that time was up. The days had been oddly peaceful since Kagome and the other girl had returned from her time. It was like the demons had decided to settle down for a bit and even Inuyasha and Kagome were getting along much better than before. The two guys still had to spend an hour with Shad and Kurama for their etiquette lessons but they didn't mind so much when Destiny began doing the same with Kagome and Sango. They were changing and growing up a little bit more as they had on their journey, but now they also being influenced and guided, much as parents do with their children.
"Inuyasha, will you and Kagome go catch some fish for supper tonight? If you catch enough I might be able to experiment a little." Destiny asked and those words were enough to make the hanyou want to drool. Destiny was a wonderful cook and when she experimented they got lots more things to try.
"Sure." He agreed casually and gathered the fishing poles while Kagome went to get a basket for the fish and then they headed down to the river.
"A lot of things have changed haven't they?" Kagome asked after they finished setting up.
Inuyasha was silent for a few moments as he considered the way that things had been before and they way were now. "Yeah, but they've been mostly good changes I think." He answered.
"Yeah." Kagome agreed and smiled softly.
"Kagome, you do know that you're important to me don't you?" Inuyasha asked softly but didn't look at her. Kagome's head jerked towards him, her mouth opened a little in surprise and closed as she studied him for a quiet moment before looking away.
"I know. I'm the one who can see the shards." She said in a slightly bitter tone.
Is that what she thinks?! Inuyasha thought in astonishment. Well duh you idiot! That's all you ever told her! He berated himself mentally. "Well yeah but that's not the only reason why you're important." He said and linked his hand with hers when she turned to look at him. "You're important to me because you're you. No one else, just Kagome." He continued and grinned as he added, "Ka-go-me."
"Inuyasha…" She said softly and laid her head against his shoulder and squeezed his hand lightly. He smiled slightly in return and wrapped his arm around her. It was the beginning of a change in their relationship, but it was a change that they would take slowly.
Later on that night, after everyone save Destiny had gone to sleep she was prowling silently around the village. She felt restless and very on edge. But why? She wondered silently and leaped onto the roof of a hut and landed without a sound as she gazed at the moon. Time travelers, star wanderers, so many names, so many duties and responsibilities that come from having so much power. She sighed and touched the silver star mark on her brow. Would anyone believe that we'd rather live a normal life? No, of course not. After all, power is power, and that's something everyone wants. Well almost everyone. She amended as a quiet groan caught her attention. She tilted her head slightly and listened when the voice began to mutter and the sound of someone thrashing around could be heard. Kurama. She thought and quickly leaped off the roof and headed towards the hut that he was staying in.
He was tossing around on his pallet and muttering incoherently most of the time. He had kicked most of his covers off and only had on a pair of loose fitting pants to fight off the night's chill. Destiny walked to him silently and rubbed her hand over his face soothingly. The light contact was enough to jerk him out of his sleep and he grabbed her hands as his eyes snapped open.
"Nightmares again?" She asked softly.
"Old memories." He corrected and pulled her on top of him gently and wrapped his arms around her, craving that simple contact between the two of them. Destiny rubbed her cheek against his for and then laid her head down on his shoulder when he began to rub her back. "How come you always know when I need you?" He teased her gently.
"Mmmm… I'm physic." She teased back and lifted herself up a bit so she could look at him. Sapphire blue met emerald green eyes that were for once, very vulnerable looking. "I love you." She said softly and stroked his face with her hand without breaking eye contact with him. Kurama placed one hand over hers and used the other to pull her face down a bit and rubbed his lips over hers.
"I love you too." He whispered against her mouth before finally letting himself kiss her as he pleased and made a type of purring noise when she did the same to him, but it quickly turned into a growl when she pulled away.
"We have to wait; remember?" She reminded him gently and he let out a low groan.
"I hate your heart-father you know that?"
Destiny smothered a soft laugh and nodded. Kurama glared mockingly at her for a moment and then gathered her back in his arms and tucked her head under his chin. "Stay with me for a bit, please." He asked her.
"Of course." She murmured and cuddled up with him and relaxed in his embrace as she waited for him to fall asleep. The two never sensed the danger coming towards them until it was too late…
The sound of swords clashing against one another woke the whole village up and they rushed to see who was fighting. Inuyasha obviously and the other was…
"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome gasped.
"Eh? Whose the pretty boy with the stripes and the moon?" Shad asked curiously as the 'pretty boy' took another slash at Inuyasha.
"That's Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's older half-brother." She answered worriedly.
"Wait a minute! If they're related why are they fighting?" Destiny asked in confusion, Shad's expression echoing hers. "Is someone forcing them too?"
"No. Sesshoumaru probably wants Inuyasha's sword though." She replied.
Shad looked at the two battling brothers, then to Kagome, back to the brothers, then Kagome and promptly sat down. "I'm an idiot. I still don't get it." He stated and held up his hand when Kagome opened her mouth to explain. "Nope, I don't want to get it either just now."
Kurama shook his head at the younger man and turned to watch the fight. Destiny did the same for a moment but an uneasy prickling at the back of her neck had her looking around. Three of the men that she and Shad had been previously training stood off to the side and with bows and arrows drawn and aimed at something. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she focused on the men, something wasn't right about them… Then she turned her head to find what they were looking at and saw a small young girl watching the fight with a rapt expression on her face. Her mind barely had time to finish the realization of what was going to happen before she took straight towards the girl.
Sesshoumaru was just about to slice Inuyasha into tiny little bits when he felt himself being shoved out of the way. "Who dares touch I, Sesshoumaru…" And he trailed off as he saw the girl head straight for Rin.
The arrows had been released and time became Destiny's greatest enemy. Not enough time! She wanted to hiss and moved even faster and just missed grabbing one arrow before it pierced the girl's flesh. She caught the other one with her hand and as she covered the girl's body with her own she felt the last pierce her shoulder. Destiny felt a slight burning sensation go through her body and then she did snarl. Poison!
"Rin hurts." She whispered and Destiny's heart ached for the little girl.
"I know sweetie." Destiny whispered and placed a light-sleeping spell on the girl; she was faintly aware of someone, or several someone's, calling her name but she had to work fast. Quickly, she pushed the arrow all the way through, broke off the tip and then pulled the shaft out in one smooth motion. The arrow lodged in her shoulder wasn't as deeply embedded as the girls had been, so after taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she yanked the arrow tip out and felt the jagged edges butcher her flesh on it's exit. Finally she pulled the girl into her lap, placed her hands over the open wounds, linked her mind with the child's, and started the long healing process. Kurama and Shad are going to kill me. Was her last thought before she threw her entire concentration on the child she was fighting to save.
Destiny had no idea. As soon as he saw the arrow pierce Destiny's skin Kurama changed into his Youko form and the only one who wasn't surprised was Shad, for he was just as angry and worried.
"He's… He's a youkai." Kagome said in shock as she watched the beautiful, over seven feet, demon head straight for Destiny. His hair was a shiny gunmetal silver and his eyes were a brilliant molten gold. He looked a lot like Inuyasha as they both had pale hair, goldish eyes, and ears on top of their head but while Inuyasha's were cute and fuzzy, his were larger and sleeker. His face, while it was pure masculine perfection and beauty, was also a thousand times colder than Sesshoumaru's had ever been or could ever be.
"He's a kitsune!" Shippo said excitedly.
Sesshoumaru, however, was not about to let anyone surpass him in haughtiness without a fight. "Do not go near the child." He told the silver fox. Kurama kept right on walking until he tried to force him to stop by digging his claws into his shoulder. His eyes shifted dangerously to the shorter youkai and he grabbed Sesshoumaru by his throat and looked at him in contempt.
"Don't challenge me unless you plan on dieing." He said in a deep, seductive, and very deadly voice before throwing the dog demon behind him as though he were a rag doll.
"Kurama?" Inuyasha asked softly but got no recognition from the once human youkai.
Don't talk to him yet Inuyasha, he's terribly angry and would probably love for someone to give him an excuse to kill. Shad warned him through mind-speech.
"Why is he so angry?" Inuyasha asked.
Shad looked over at him and then back at Sesshoumaru before he answered. "Because there was poison on the tips. Even now Destiny is fighting for the child's life." He was quiet for a moment and then added, "and her own." He looked icily at Sesshoumaru then. "The girl is your charge?" He asked.
"Yes." He answered and stood gracefully.
"Good." Shad said and turned his back on him to watch Kurama very carefully pick up both Destiny and the little girl in his arms to take them back to the village. "That means if my heart-sister dies I'll know who to kill after I get those men." He added and ran lithely to wear he'd last caught sight of the men and changed into his huge wolf form as he did so.
"This isn't good." Miroku said carefully as they watched the powerful demon walk back towards them with the two injured girls.
Kagome couldn't stand just waiting there. She wasn't afraid of Kurama, she respected him but wasn't afraid, and she was very worried about Destiny and the little girl. "Are they alright?" She asked and hurried towards the approaching youkai. He didn't stop or smile but his eyes seemed to be a little less harsh when he looked at her and answered, "I don't know tione, the poison is very strong and unless Destiny helps her body to clear it she may succumb."
"Do you know what kind of poison?" She asked and continued walking at his side.
"No. This world is different from mine, despite the fact that I was alive during this time period. I think it is designed to be strong enough to kill a youkai." He answered and they reached the others. Kurama did stop then and looked at each one carefully before his gaze settled on Sesshoumaru. "You may come as well pup, just watch yourself lest I be tempted to rip your throat out." He warned and continued on his way again.
Things were beginning to become very interesting indeed.
It was a long night for everyone. Sesshoumaru stood by himself in a corner away from the others and looked out the window at the moon. Shippo had gone to sleep long ago while Sango and Miroku leaned back against the wall. Kagome was pacing back and forth until Inuyasha finally grabbed her and pulled her down into his lap. "Settle down." He said quietly.
"I can't. What if something happens to them?" She asked and looked at the blanket that divided the room and sheltered the two girls and fox demon from their eyes.
That is unlikely, Kurama is also a healer and he's fighting for Destiny until she's done with the girl. Shad said to all of them in mind-speech as he wearily entered the hut. Sesshoumaru turned and looked at him suspiciously. Shad was again back in his smaller wolf form but that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous.
"What happened?" Inuyasha asked.
Shad shook his head and layed down next to the hanyou and Kagome and gazed into the fire. Betrayal. He answered, his voice full of sorrow.
"What? How?" Sango asked.
I killed two of the men, but their souls were…tainted. As though they had willingly allowed someone to control them for the sake of power. The third I let return to its master, but he carried the taint as well.
"How can you know that?" Miroku asked.
How can you not? You forget mortal, I am neither human, hanyou, nor youkai. My strengths are different from yours just as my weaknesses are.
"What are you then?" Sesshoumaru asked coolly.
I am a Learian. To simplify things I am basically from another planet, from another time.
"That's not possible." Sesshoumaru denied in concealed shock.
Is it? Tell me then, what blood do you sense within me? Shad asked.
Shadow, quit tormenting the whelp and get back to the point. Kurama said in annoyance
Kurama, you do know that you are very annoying in that form?
Your point?
You just made it. Shad said with a groan. Back to the point, I think we are being used as pawns in some game. That doesn't bother me so much as we're used to it, but something is different. Somehow, somewhere we have been betrayed but by who, or what, I don't know.
"Why do you say that Shad?" Kagome asked.
Remember the scroll that first summoned us here and the idiot who read it?
"Yes." Kagome answered and hid a smile behind her hand.
Well it should not have worked. There's no oath to make it bind, and yet, it did summon us. He growled quietly in his throat. Beware of power littlings, it is a curse more often than a blessing. He added and his words almost seemed to be directed at Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru.
But experience was the best and harshest teacher when one came right down to it. And he had a feeling that the two who were brothers, and yet weren't, were about to be dealt a few lessons.
~ Ooh! It's a long chapter. Poor Sess, he's just getting bad-mouthed a whole bunch. Well he's arrogant enough to survive it, besides he needs a little humility. This chapter's main intent was to bring Sess into the picture. I think I have all of my key elements in place now… Oh I know Sess is supposed to be the cold haughty brat but to me Youko Kurama has him beat. I mean hey, Kurama's what? Over 700 years old and still feared by demons in his dimension. Besides, Sess can't really be all that bad, he did save Rin. If anyone gets confused e-mail me or ask a question in a review and I'll explain what I can. *grins* Okay now! Don't forget to click the blue 'go' button and leave a lovely review! Thanks! ~
